Gabrielle “Gabby” Daleman is a Canadian figure skater. She is the 2017 World bronze medalist, 2017 Four Continents silver medalist, 2014 CS Autumn Classic champion, and 2015 Canadian national champion. She represented Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Check out her complete interview with our President, Ms. Namita Nayyar, on Women Fitness.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You began skating at the young age of four and reached the pinnacle of success by becoming the 2017 World bronze medalist, 2017 Four Continents silver medalist, 2014 CS Autumn Classic champion, and 2015 Canadian national champion. Walk us through this spectacular journey and tell us how it all began?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
When I was four my parents signed me up for skating lessons because they thought every Canadian child should know how to skate. The ice is a part of who we are as Canadians. My mom was a huge skating fan who always loved skating. Then while watching Joannie Rochette at the 2006 Torino Olympics on the television, I turned to my mom and said “That’s what I want to do and when I get older I’m going to the Olympics.” I was already in competitive skating and gymnastics at the same time, but had not yet made the commitment to one sport or the other. Shortly after that I made the commitment to skating.
We got a new skating coach, Andrei Berezintsev from France, who was my coach for the next eight years. He taught me all my jumps and spins. My dad is a track coach, so he did my off ice training and nutrition. It took about 9 months before I started to see improvements in my skating, but then I had a good skate in the spring at a competition in Scarborough, Ontario. After that I started to excel, winning silver at Sectionals in the Juvenile Women’s category and was the Ontario Winter Games champion the next year.
My Coach really wanted to push me so we skipped the next level and went to Novice women where I placed sixth in Canada. I then went to the Junior level in 2012 where I won my first National title. I competed on the World Junior circuit for the next 2 years, but competed as a Senior nationally (it was a rule that if you win, you had to move up). In 2013, I shocked Canada by winning the silver medal at Nationals at the age of 15 (a couple of days after my birthday). Then the following year I won the silver again and was named to the Olympic team the day before my 16th birthday and went on to come 13th at Worlds. That summer I worked even harder on my skating, fitness and nutrition. Skate Canada set me up with a nutritionist and started fitness testing to monitor my progress. In October I won my first international competition, at the Autumn Classic International. The win gave me a lot of confidence heading into Nationals that year where I won my second championship title. I then went to the Four Continents Championships that year and placed 7th, but knew I could do better at Worlds. So I went back home and trained even harder, but had an unfortunate accident and dislocated my knee cap during a training session, five weeks before worlds. Fortunately I didn’t tear the meniscus, but I was forced to stay off the ice for two weeks and not jump until I went to Worlds. Skate Canada still sent me to Worlds where I did not fare well at all and had my worst placement ever in my life. For many reasons this is when I made a tough decision to leave my coach of eight years.
I decided to move to the Cricket Club in Toronto to work with Lee Barkell, Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson. Lee, Brian and Tracy are great; they keep me focused and I am really back to loving my sport. Every day I come in and I’m greeted with smiles and there is such positive energy at the Cricket. Brian, Lee, Tracy and all the other coaches at the club work together with such passion, joy and energy that it just puts you in a great mindset to work hard. Even days where I might be having a rough practice on the ice they somehow pick me up and make me feel good about the session and myself. That is another important influence they have had on me; making me feel good about myself. Before coming to them I was starting to get frustrated with myself, not happy with my skating and feeling down a lot. I have also learned that training well means listening to my body and coaches; not to train through injury and getting rest when I need it. I want to have a long career in this sport, so I need to take care of my body.
The 2015/2106 season with my new coaches went well. I had been skating well at my fall competitions leading up to 2016 Worlds that year. At the Skate Canada Challenge I scored 193 and at my Nationals I achieved 197, placing 2nd. So I knew if I could repeat those performances I would be able to score well. My main focus though was not on placement but to go out and perform two clean programs and then let the scores follow. I stayed away from the media and thinking about placement as I wanted to ensure this didn’t take away from my focus and goals. When I heard the short score I wasn’t just happy, but I was relieved that I finally performed the program internationally, the way I knew I could. Then I got to see the marks that followed. I then had to collect myself for the freeskate, as I knew that if I skated it the way I did at Nationals I could place well, but again I couldn’t focus on the marks, but each element in my program. I scored new personal bests in the both the short and freeskate and placed 9th in the World. It felt like a break through being in the top 10.
Again I went into the summer with a lot of momentum and was feeling really good. Training was going really well, but I switched training shoes which aggravated my left foot where I have arthritis in my first metatarsal. The doctors didn’t give me a specific diagnosis and I ended up spending four weeks in a boot and no skating. I was going to the Canadian Sports Institute of Ontario for conditioning to use their underwater treadmill to keep up my fitness.
My first competition last season was Neblehorn Trophy in Orberstdorf, Germany where I placed 3rd. Next was Skate America where I placed 4th. My coach and I then decided to switch up the jumps in my short program, putting my triple toe – triple toe jump back in as I have the best toe-toe in the world. In the short at Trophee de France, in Paris I scored over 72 points which is very good score and was the first women in the world to receive all plus 3s for grade of execution on a triple-triple jump combination. I was second after the short, but unfortunately I fell on the soft ice in the freeskate and placed a disappointing 4th. I then went to the Skate Canada Challenge to gain some more mileage on my programs before Nationals and had two very good skates and set a new Canadian record for combined score. Then at Nationals I went out again and skated two very good programs and won my 4th silver medal. Heading into the Four Continents Championships I knew that if I skated the way I did at Nationals that I had a very good chance of winning. Going into the short I had a clean program and was in first place. An unfortunate error in the freeskate left me in second place overall. There was a lot of mixed emotions with this medal, because I knew I was the first lady from Canada to win a medal at the 4CC since 2009, but at the same time I was so close to winning.
I again took this experience and focused on knowing now that I was a medal contender at the 2017 World Championships. Everything was going great until the first weekend in March. I was sitting watching TV with my family and got up to go get some water when I fell down with pain in my lower abdomen. We eventually went to the hospital where I spent the night in the emergency room. It was determined that I had a cyst on my left ovary that ruptured. I was not allowed to train for several days that week and I had to take it very easy. I was still not feeling well and then it turned out that a urine test my doctor took from me on that Monday tested positive for E coli infection and I was placed on antibiotics on the Friday. I still had to be admitted to the hospital again that weekend because I had taken so ill, lost 10 pounds, and was placed on intravenous to get the antibiotics in to my system. The following Wednesday I was able to get back on the ice and by Friday I was doing full run throughs of my programs. My coaches were great with me and were a huge support through all of this. I was so panicking, because of the lack of training to this point before Worlds. They just told me to trust my training and that I had built up a good base before the illness.
The week before leaving for Worlds I felt great and training was going very well. I was once again feeling like I could stand on the podium. The next week at Worlds, everything was going great at practice and I was feeling calm and confident. In the short I skated a clean program and placed 3rd. In the freeskate I was skating second last after the World Champion, Medvedeva. She had just skated a clean freeskate herself and set a new World record. I remember clapping for her while I was on the ice waiting for them to announce my name. Then I went out and skated a near perfect skate, with a minor step-out on my last jump. Then I heard my score and I knew that I was on the podium. It was such an amazing feeling.
Full Interview on Next Page!
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All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Introduce us to a day in your life, preparing for the World Championships.
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
I usually arrive at the Cricket Club at around 11 am and then start warming up by going for a light run or going on a stationary bike for 10 mins. Then I will do some dynamic stretching and practice my jumps off ice. At 11:30 I start lacing up my skates as my first off-ice session is from 11:45 to 1 pm. During this session I will work on the different elements that I have in my programs. I start off with double axels, triple salchow, triple loop, triple flip, triple Lutz, triple toe, and finally triple toe – triple toe combinations. Then everyone on the ice has a slot for when they can do a program run through so I will perform my program and hope to hear the bell at the end (they ring the bell if you have clean run-through). If I make mistakes, my coaches will make me quickly repeat the elements that I messed up on.
I have an hour break where I do a cool down and eat my lunch. I then prepare to go back on the ice for the 2 pm session. Here, I again work on the different elements that I have in my programs. This time I perform my other program. If I performed my free skate on the first session, then I will perform my short during the second session. Then if I have time I continue to work on different elements. I then do a cool down and get some fuel for my body.
Once I’m done if I have anything that doesn’t feel right I will go to physio. If everything feels good I head home. I have dinner with my family and then usually around 8 I have my off-ice training which usually lasts up to 1 ½ hours. I usually do a half hour of visualization and then a bath and bed.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine that you may like to share?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
Monday and Thursday are speed/plyometrics and weights. Tuesday and Friday is speed endurance, Wednesday and Saturday are cardio. We like to do a lot of circuit training to maximize the work in the minimal amount of time. So on speed days I will do sprints on the treadmill (max speed)/track for 45 seconds and then do core in between (Swiss crunches, bent hanging leg raises with a twist, straight legged hanging lifts). I will do 12 sprints and 4 sets of each of my ab exercises. Then for weights its bench press, leg extensions, leg curls and squats with core exercises in between. My core exercises are planks and T’s with variations so my body doesn’t get bored with them.
On my speed endurance days I will do longer interval runs or bike. I will do 12 runs at about 70% of my maximum speed on the treadmill/track for about 90 seconds. In between the runs I will do my abdominal exercises. Lastly, I like to do some medicine ball exercises and core.
On my cardio workout days, its longer runs. I will do 10 longer runs for about 4 minute intervals at about 40 to 50% of my maximum speed to work on my aerobic system.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
I’m small, but I try to aim for about 2200 calories a day and at least 120 g of protein, 320 g of carbs and 50 g of natural fat. For a meal, I try to aim for 45-60g of carbohydrate and 20g of protein. So a typical day for me is:
Breakfast: 2 slices of toast with peanut butter, 2 eggs, milk (250ml of water);
Midmorning snack: Been having cranberry or other juice and a snack with some fibre and protein. Usually I will eat some cooked chicken with some fruit such as an apple with some almond butter.
11:30 am is my first on-ice session warm-up snack or floods breaks: If I know my first session will be higher intensity I will have easy-to-digest carbs to top up my fuel stores, such as a banana, diluted apple juice, saltines/pretzels/rice cakes, or orange slices. If I know it will be lower intensity, I try and bring in a little bit of protein, to help sustain my energy longer for training (ex. yogurt, peanut butter, low-fat cheese/milk) along with previously mentioned carb choices.
Lunch is half a chicken quesadilla and grilled peppers, spinach and mushrooms or 4 ounces of steak with quinoa and kale mixed together and berries. My afternoon snack will be my homemade almond butter balls which are loaded with protein and carbs to help me get through my workouts. Other options that I have used are Greek yogurt and berries, apple/banana and peanut butter, fruit + trail-mix. My aim is to get to get 15g protein and 30g carb split before and after.
And then dinner within 2 hours tops! Here I eat a variety of meats, such as chicken, steak (my favourite) or salmon. I also eat a variety of vegetables such as asparagus, green beans, broccoli or my pepper mix as previously mentioned. I also eat a variety of grains such as quinoa. My strength and conditioning are usually in the evening, so I will a have protein shake afterwards to repair my muscles.
I also focus on drinking 1-2 cups (250-500ml) water for every hour of exercise to keep me hydrated.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
At such a young age, you are out and making history. How are you able to balance your personal life and competing for figure skating?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
My family and I are very close and they help me balance my life. They make sure that on my days off I go out with friends or with them to do something fun. I also have some great friends from both skating and outside skating that I like to hang out with and then there is my brother, Zach who is my best friend. We train together both on and off the ice and drive to the rink all the time. We also like to hang out and watch horror movies in the basement of our house. All of this helps me to have a balanced life.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding figure skaters who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in this field?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
It’s ok to fall. It’s okay to fail. It’s not okay to give up. Failure is a part of the journey to winning. We all have moments where we face adversity and hardship and its one’s ability to persevere that make’s a champion. I have failed over and over again and that is why I succeed. It’s also important to dream and believe. You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them and if you put the work in, the results will come.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How did you feel before and after winning the silver medal at the 2017 Four Continents Championships, becoming the first Canadian ladies’ single skater to land on the podium at Four Continents since 2009?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
Before the Four Continents Championships I felt really good. I just competed the month before at Nationals where I had two really good performances. I knew that if I repeated those performances a spot on the podium would be possible. After winning the short, I was really excited knowing that I could make history by winning the event. After the event I was a little disappointed in myself because I popped my triple loop which has been a good jump for me and cost me the gold. Afterwards, reflecting back I was really happy to have represented Canada so well at the Championships and to follow in the footsteps my idol, Joannie Rochette. It also gave me a lot of confidence going into Worlds as I felt it sent a message to rest of the World that Canadian ladies single skaters are serious contenders.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influence and motivator in your success in the field of your career in figure skating?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
My parents. They have been there ever since I first laced up a pair of skates. My mom has attended almost all of my competitions and is a very strong individual who has helped me to become a strong young woman myself. My dad is my off-ice coach and he helped me to learn to have a very good workout ethic and to be not only a skater, but an athlete. Both of my parents still come and watch me practice whenever they can and help me emotionally, mentally and physically.
Another influence has been my coaching team. As I mentioned above. Lee, Brain and Tracy are great; they keep me focused and back to loving my sport.
Then there’s my brother Zach, my best friend.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about your preparations for the future Games and Championships.
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
There is still a lot to be done and I am working hard with my team to further develop myself and improve the areas where I need to. Lori (Nichol) and I developed new choreography that will challenge me and deliver what I hope my current/new fans expect of me and will really appreciate. It’s not easy, but I love the challenge. I’m working a lot on my components this past year with Lori , Lee and Tracy and continue to do so. We spend hours on the ice going through the little nuances of my programs. The edge glide of a certain move, the leg and arm extension, the facial expression. Everything to help bring the audience into my performance and enjoy it with me. You can often see one of them, 10 feet behind, following me as I do a run through making sure that my movements are precise and to the music and that even if the jumps aren’t there I don’t give up on the choreography. It’s important to keep the integrity and the story of the program. We also work on all my other skating skills every day to keep improving as there is no such thing as perfection.
I have been working more consistently this past year with Judy Goss, a Mental Performance Consultant who works for the CSIO, in Toronto. She helps me prepare myself mentally for competitions so that I can get into that “now “ state. Lee and I look at what went well at the last competition and what we need to do for the next.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
While playing professional sports, athletes often face injuries and other difficulties, would you like to tell the audience about how to cope up and make a comeback after an injury?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
Take it slow, listen to your doctor, coaches, and physiotherapists. I have made the mistake several times where I have come back too quick from an injury and wanted to be where I was before it occurred. This has actually caused the injury to reoccur or a new one to develop. So my advice to your readers is to take it slow when coming back from an injury. There is lots of time and you will get back to your level of fitness eventually, but build slowly and don’t think you will be back to your original load of training in a week or two.
Also when injured look for alternative ways of training to maintain some fitness. When I was in a boot last summer, I still did core and upper body workouts and still did leg extensions and curls to keep my legs strong. I love to run, but sometimes it’s hard on my foot, so I will use alternatives such as an elliptical machine or stationary bike.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
With a massive following who look up to you and follow you, how does it feel that you are able to influence and inspire the healthy lifestyle of so many individuals?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
It feels really good, but also surreal that young girls look up to me. I take this opportunity with great pride and responsibility and hope that I can inspire others to realize that they can dream big and with hard work it can become reality. I also want young girls to know that it’s okay to look athletic and that being an athletic women is beautiful. I used to get teased that I was too muscular looking and at times I was embarrassed about my muscles. I now realize that an athletic body is a beautiful body and an active lifestyle is a good one. I hope young women see me and say I want to be like Gabby, just like I did when I was 8 years old watching Joannie on TV 11 years ago.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What do you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for our visitors?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
The website Womenfitness.net is an awesome place for women to learn about nutrition, exercise and healthy living. I also love how you have great articles showcasing female athletes and their stories, so that younger generations can read about them and aspire to be like them. It’s great to have so much valuable information on one website that women can have without having to do multiple searches. It’s just right there at your fingertips. I love that it’s so positive!
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Fitness and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness